


*Click*

by thequidditchpitch_archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Fluff, Hogwarts Era, Mystery, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-05-25
Updated: 2006-05-25
Packaged: 2018-10-27 08:49:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10805784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thequidditchpitch_archivist/pseuds/thequidditchpitch_archivist
Summary: A mysterious clicking sound is haunting Neville Longbottom.





	*Click*

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Annie, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Quidditch Pitch](http://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Quidditch_Pitch), which went offline in 2015 when the hosting expired, at a time I was not able to renew it. I contacted Open Doors, hoping to preserve the archive using an old backup, and began importing these works as an Open Doors-approved project in April 2017. Open Doors e-mailed all authors about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Quidditch Pitch collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/thequidditchpitch/profile).

  
Author's notes: **Beta:** crystallekil[](http://hailiebu.livejournal.com/)

**A/N:** 5th year, AU(ish). Written for [**xylodemon**](http://xylodemon.livejournal.com/)'s [The I Didn't Get To Go To TWH Ficlet-a-thon](http://www.livejournal.com/users/xylodemon/328431.html?mode=reply). More specifically for [**swtalmnd**](http://swtalmnd.livejournal.com/), who requested Colin/Neville--copping a feel.  


* * *

 

 

 

*Click*

There it was again...the clicking sound. Neville Longbottom whipped his head around in search of the source, but as usual, there was no one there.

"Bugger," he muttered, running his hand through his hair. "I'm losing my mind."

The mysterious noise, which seemed to be haunting Neville, had begun the previous month. The odd thing was, no one else had ever heard it. No, that wasn't right---Neville never heard it while in the company of anyone else. It was beginning to unsettle him.

The first time he heard it was one day while running to Charms. He was late, as usual, and dashing through the castle. He stopped just outside the classroom to catch his breath and heard a series of clicking sounds coming from a suit of armor off to his left. Before he could investigate closer, Professor Flitwick stepped into the corridor to usher him into class.

A few weeks ago, Neville had been cramming for his DADA exam in the library and dozed off. He was awoken by a bright light which was accompanied by the curious noise. Once his eyes were able to focus, he looked around, trying to find out who or what was behind this, but, as usual, no one was there.

The other day was the oddest of all. He heard the clicking noise while in the shower. Stumbling out as quickly as he could in hopes of finally discovering what was making this sound, Neville slipped on the wet floor and landed on his bare arse. Harry, Ron, Seamus and Dean ran in to see what the commotion was all about. Neville was utterly humiliated by his dorm mates seeing him sprawled on the floor completely naked.

Luna, naturally, had come up with all sorts of ideas to explain the sound...each more bizarre than the next. Seamus' thought that it was Peeves messing with Neville was the most reasonable. If only he could come up with a way to catch the pesky poltergeist in the act. Surely Mr. Filch would put an end to the mischievous torment.

Today, as Neville sat in History of Magic pondering what to do about his problem, an idea came to mind. He quickly jotted a note to Harry asking him to hang back after class. If Harry agreed to help him, perhaps this mystery would be solved at last.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning, Saturday, Neville sat in the common room with his housemates after breakfast. After a little while, he stood up and announced a bit too loudly that he was going to speak to Professor Sprout about the upcoming exams. He winked at Harry and stepped out through the portrait hole.

Harry excused himself, saying he had to use the toilet. Unbeknownst to everyone, as soon as he was out of view of those in the common room, Harry ducked under his invisibility cloak and hurried out of Gryffindor tower to follow Neville, hoping to catch Peeves in the act.

Neville was headed down the staircase toward the Entry Hall when he heard the clicking. He spun around, but to his frustration, he saw nothing.

"Harry?" he whispered.

"Neville! Just the lad I need," boomed Hagrid as he walked up from the dungeons. "I need som'un to help me gather some plants fer Professor Snape." Hagrid held a sheet of parchment close to his face as he read, "Asphodel, fluxweed, ginger, monkshood--"

"Why did Professor Snape ask you to gather them?" Neville asked, cutting Hagrid off mid-list.

Hagrid rolled his eyes and smirked. "I think he's tryin' ta test me. Figers I don't know the diffrence between," he read from his list again, "knotgrass and scurvy-grass."

"Do you know the difference, Hagrid?"

The bit of the Half-Giant's cheeks that were visible through his hairy face turned bright pink. "Er...not 'zactly. Maybe you might help me out, eh? Spare me lookin' like a fool to the Potions Master, fer once." Hagrid rolled his eyes again.

Neville sighed. He couldn't bear the thought of Snape's sneer and that belittling tone. He liked Hagrid too much to let him be victim to that. "Sure thing, Hagrid, let's go," he replied, heading out the front door with his Professor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hours later, a very exhausted Neville climbed the stairs toward his dormitory.

"Psst, Neville...get in here" Harry grabbed Neville by the arm and pulled him into... the fourth year boys' dormitory?

"Harry, what are you doing in here?" Neville asked, scratching his head.

"You won't believe it," Harry whispered. "There's dozens and dozens of them."

"Dozens of wha--" Neville's jaw dropped as Harry led him over to an opened trunk at the foot of one of the beds. Inside were what appeared to be close to fifty snapshots of Neville. Many were of the back of his head or from the side view as though taken by someone stalking about after him. In the corner of the trunk was what he recognized immediately as Colin Creevey's camera, the one with the large flash. This was Colin's trunk.

Neville reached in and grabbed a handful of photos. "This means... er... what exactly does this mean?" he asked confused.

"The clicking was Colin's camera, Neville," Harry explained. "I saw him this morning. He was following you. He snapped your photograph with one of those small Muggle cameras, then ducked around the corner quickly. He followed you and Hagrid out of the castle, so I came up here to have a look around."

"But why? Why would Colin want to take my picture? My God, there are so many."

"I think this will explain things." Harry handed a picture to Neville, who gasped, then clapped his hand over his mouth, shaking his head in disbelief. "I found _that_ one under his pillow." Harry intentionally held back the laughter that had burst out when he first found the picture.

"Oh bloody hell!" Neville exclaimed. He did not know what to make of this. Part of him was horrified by the thought of a boy having those types of thoughts about him, while another part was honored that someone, anyone thought so much of him. And part of him was simply relieved to have an answer to the conundrum that had been puzzling him for the past month. He stared into the chest, gaping in both shock and flattery.

"What are you doing in here?" snapped Colin as he entered the room, a small camera in his hand.  
  
"Colin... I... er... that is we were just--"

"Get out!" he shouted. "You have no right to come in here and go through my private things." Colin was breathing heavily and completely red-faced.

Harry lowered his head and mumbled an apology before slipping out of the room. Neville, however, stayed put.

"I said leave, didn't you hear me?" Colin snatched the photo from Neville's hand, dropped it and his camera down into his trunk, and slammed the lid shut. He sat on the trunk and buried his face in his hands.

"Colin," Neville began, softly, "what's going on?"

"Going on?" Colin looked up and stared into Neville's eyes. "I thought you would have figured it all out by now."

Neville shrugged, blushing.

Suddenly, Colin jumped to his feet and grabbed Neville's crotch. Neville gasped, nearly choking, but didn't back away.

"I really _like_ you, Neville. You're funny and nice and you're so brilliant with Herbology. It's my favorite subject too, you know."

"Er... Colin, can you move your hand please," Neville requested politely.

Colin did indeed move his hand, but not exactly the way Neville meant. He gave Neville's balls a quick squeeze before rubbing his palm on the front of Neville's trousers. To Neville's surprise, his body started to react in a way he wouldn't have imagined possible from being touched by a boy.

"I really admire you, Neville." Colin spoke in a dreamy tone of voice. "I look at your photos everyday. I have so many, but I still want more. You're my obsession, Neville Longbottom."

Neville did step back now. He was blown away by the things Colin was saying to him; no one had ever spoken to him like this or shown such an interest in him. It was almost too much to process all at once. He was nervous and unsure of what to do. He took a deep breath and walked over to the door.

"Wait," Colin called.

Neville gathered his Gryffindor courage, shut the door and turned to face Colin. Suddenly, the answer seemed to click in his mind.

"What do you want me to do, Neville?" Colin asked with desperation in his eyes.

Neville looked his house mate up and down and grinned. "Get your camera, mate."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


End file.
